Long repetition time experiments for measurement of concentrations in systems with chemical exchange and undergoing temporal variation-comparison of methods with and without correction for saturation

The purpose of this paper is to compare two methods for quantifying metabolite concentrations using the one-pulse experiment for a sample undergoing chemical exchange and subject to an intervention or other temporal variation. The methods, LATR-C (Long Acquisition TR (interpulse delay); Corrected for partial saturation) and LATR-NC (Long Acquisition TR; Not Corrected), are compared in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, per unit time and quantitation errors. Parameters relevant to the isolated perfused rat heart are used as a specific application, although the results are general. We assume throughout that spin-lattice relaxation times, T(1), do not change. For a given flip angle, theta, TR's are calculated which result in maximal SNR per unit time under 10%, 5%, and 1% constraints on quantitation errors. Additional simulations were performed to demonstrate explicitly the dependence of the quantitation errors on TR for a fixed theta. We find (i) if the allowed error is large, and when both metabolite concentrations and rate constants vary, LATR-C permits use of shorter TR, and hence yields greater SNR per unit time, than LATR-NC; (ii) for small allowed error, the two methods give similar TR's and SNR per unit time, so that the simpler LATR-NC experiment may be preferred; (iii) large values of theta result in similar constrained TR's and hence SNR per unit time for the two methods; (iv) the ratio of concentrations of metabolites with similar T(1) exhibit similar errors for the two methods.     

Durchlaufsäulen-Versuche zur Untersuchung von Migranten im System Grundwasser-Grundwasserleiter

Abstract

The simulation of the migration of soluble and suspended substances in small scaled columns gives information about water-rock-interaction processes. An overview about methods and aims of the investigation at the GSF-Institute of Hydrology is given.     

Spectroscopic methods for determination of catecholamines: A mini-review

Catecholamines are biogenic compounds that perform a variety of vital functions, playing a key physiological role in humans and animals. They are important markers in diagnosis of diseases and dysfunctions as well as widespread components of pharmaceutical formulations. Therefore, development of highly sensitive, rapid, and economically efficient methods for the determination of catecholamines is of great interest. The spectroscopic analytical methods have a good potential in this respect. This mini-review summarizes in a concise manner some advances and trends in the determination of catecholamines by spectroscopic methods, including spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, immunoassays with spectroscopic detection, Raman spectroscopy, and other methods. Information on mainly determined compounds and analyzed samples is given and discussed. Analytical strategies and performance for the quantitation of catecholamines in various samples are described.     

Nuclear thermometry

Different approaches for measuring nuclear temperatures are described. The quantitative results of different thermometer approaches are often not consistent. These differences are traced back to the different basic assumptions of the applied methods. Moreover, an overview of recent theoretical investigations is given, which study the quantitative influence of dynamical aspects of the nuclear-reaction process on the extracted apparent temperatures. The status of the present experimental and theoretical knowledge is reviewed. Guidelines for future investigations, especially concerning the properties of asymmetric nuclear matter, are given.     

Laser ablation-based methods for nanostructuring of materials

An overview of laser-ablation-based methods for nanofabrication developed by our research group is presented. All methods imply laser-related ablation of material from a solid target and the production of nanoclusters, which are then either deposited on a substrate to form a nanostructured thin film or released to a liquid to form a colloidal nanoparticle solution. Particular attention is given on the absence or presence of the plasmarelated absorption of laser radiation, which provides different nano fabrication regimes. The methods lead to the production of nanomaterials, which are of importance for photonics and biosensing applications.     

Optical spectroscopy of radioactive atoms

An epitome of optical methods used in atomic spectroscopy of radioactive atoms is presented. The overview addresses a number of results in atomic structure and hyperfine structure, and the implications in the study of electric and magnetic properties of nuclei. An aperçu is given of the concomitant development of the experimental methods, from simple optical techniques to laser spectroscopy, and from use of “off-line” experiments to ones using ISOLDE-type facilities.     

Internal targets for monitoring the characteristics of particle beams in synchrotrons

This overview is devoted to methods and devices with different wire, foil, and gaseous internal targets for online monitoring of the space-time characteristics of the circulating particle beam. Examples of the proposed and developed profilometers based on scanning the diagnosed beam by probes in the form of precision beams of charged or neutral particles are given. Capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages of the methods of virtually nonperturbing diagnostics described above are analyzed. Examples of elementary interactions with large analyzing power of the nuclear polarization of the beam nuclei are given. A number of polarimeters of circulating nuclear beams proposed and developed on their basis for synchrotrons using the appropriate internal targets are considered.     

Disease-related proteins determination based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising platform for simple, rapid, and economical protein quantitation and analysis and can achieve much lower detection limits for the ultrasensitive detection of proteins and a much wider linear concentration range for quantitative analysis than other methods can. In addition, SERS can provide a large amount of fingerprint information for the individual components of a mixture through SERS effects, which are sensitive and selective for different types of proteins and protein mixtures. In general, the occurrence and development of diseases are accompanied by changes in the content or structure of biomarkers (disease-related proteins). Here, we provide an overview of the SERS technique and its applications to disease-related protein determination. Different diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), cardiac muscle tissue injury, and multicancer, are discussed and exhibit potential utility in biomarker detection and diagnosis. SERS opens a new path to the early diagnosis of critical diseases, which will effectively reduce human suffering and mortality.     

基于BP网络的图像增强器像元通道不一致性校正研究

像元通道响应不一致性是影响图像增强器检测能力的重要因素,因而有必要对不一致性进行校正。首先分析了传统的不一致性校正方法的缺点,然后提出了一种基于BP神经网络的像元通道响应不一致性的校正方法。该方法利用BP神经网络良好的非线性映射能力,对每一个像元通道进行输入-输出特性的反非线性逼近,同时利用实验数据进行了神经网络的训练。对比了校正前后的图像及标准差。     

Laser-assisted fluorescence microscopy and biomedical screening

An overview of recent developments and applications of the Biophotonics Group at Hochschule Aalen is given. In view of in vitro diagnostics and biomedical screening, some advanced methods of laser-assisted microscopy and micromanipulation, as well as fluorescence reader technology, have been established. Present applications are concentrated on energy metabolism of the cell, membrane dynamics, membrane associated fluorescent proteins, laser-assisted optoporation, and photodynamic therapy.     

Formation of Optical Thin Films by Ion and Plasma Assisted Techniques

An overview of ion and plasma assisted techniques for optical thin films is given. The individual deposition methods are described and their specific advantages and drawbacks with respect to optical thin film deposition presented. It is shown that ion and plasma assistance can have also unwelcome side effects. As far as possible the physical mechanisms governing the film formation are identified and used for interpretation of the experimental results.     

一种光学成像垂轴几何畸变校正方法

光学成像系统非线性几何畸变的校正仍是一个未能很好解决的课题，一些方法还不能很好地实用。本文对成像系统主要因镜头的失常导致的非线性几何畸变，分析了成像过程。提出一种以径向几何畸变为主的非线性几何畸变模型。依据此模型，提出一种通用的校正方法，应用计算机处理，可对实际的非线性几何畸变图像进行校正。文中用所提出的方法对实际成像的畸变进行了校正，给出了校正实验结果，校正效果良好，有一定的实验价值。     

Semiconductor nanostructures enabled by aerosol technology

Aerosol technology provides efficient methods for producing nanoparticles with well-controlled composition and size distribution. This review provides an overview of methods and results obtained by using aerosol technology for producing nanostruetures for a variety of applications in semiconductor physics and device technology. Examples are given from： production of metal and metal alloy particles： semiconductor nanoparticles; semiconductor nanowires, grown both in the aerosol phase and on substrates; physics studies based on individual aerosol-generated devices; and large area deviees based on aerosol particles.     

Improved sample preparation of glyphosate and methylphosphonic acid by EPA method 6800A and time-of-flight mass spectrometry using novel solid-phase extraction

The employment of chemical weapons by rogue states and/or terrorist organizations is an ongoing concern in the United States. The quantitative analysis of nerve agents must be rapid and reliable for use in the private and public sectors. Current methods describe a tedious and time-consuming derivatization for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry. Two solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques for the analysis of glyphosate and methylphosphonic acid are described with the utilization of isotopically enriched analytes for quantitation via atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (APCI-Q-TOF-MS) that does not require derivatization. Solid-phase extraction-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SPE-IDMS) involves pre-equilibration of a naturally occurring sample with an isotopically enriched standard. The second extraction method, i-Spike, involves loading an isotopically enriched standard onto the SPE column before the naturally occurring sample. The sample and the spike are then co-eluted from the column enabling precise and accurate quantitation via IDMS. The SPE methods in conjunction with IDMS eliminate concerns of incomplete elution, matrix and sorbent effects, and MS drift. For accurate quantitation with IDMS, the isotopic contribution of all atoms in the target molecule must be statistically taken into account. This paper describes two newly developed sample preparation techniques for the analysis of nerve agent surrogates in drinking water as well as statistical probability analysis for proper molecular IDMS. The methods described in this paper demonstrate accurate molecular IDMS using APCI-Q-TOF-MS with limits of quantitation as low as 0.400 mg/kg for glyphosate and 0.031 mg/kg for methylphosphonic acid.     

Experimental demonstration of quantitation errors in MR spectroscopy resulting from saturation corrections under changing conditions

Metabolite concentration measurements in in vivo NMR are generally performed under partially saturated conditions, with correction for partial saturation performed after data collection using a measured saturation factor. Here, we present an experimental test of the hypothesis that quantitation errors can occur due to application of such saturation factor corrections in changing systems. Thus, this extends our previous theoretical work on quantitation errors due to varying saturation factors. We obtained results for two systems frequently studied by 31P NMR, the ischemic rat heart and the electrically stimulated rat gastrocnemius muscle. The results are interpreted in light of previous theoretical work which defined the degree of saturation occurring in a one-pulse experiment for a system with given spin-lattice relaxation times, T(1)s, equilibrium magnetizations, M(0)s, and reaction rates. We found that (i) the assumption of constancy of saturation factors leads to quantitation errors on the order of 40% in inorganic phosphate; (ii) the dominant contributor to the quantitation errors in inorganic phosphate is most likely changes in T(1); (iii) T(1) and M(0) changes between control and intervention periods, and chemical exchange contribute to different extents to quantitation errors in phosphocreatine and gamma-ATP; (iv) relatively small increases in interpulse delay substantially decreased quantitation errors for metabolites in ischemic rat hearts; (v) random error due to finite SNR led to approximately 4% error in quantitation, and hence was a substantially smaller contributor than were changes in saturation factors.     

光与新型氧化物材料的相互作用及其应用

文章概述了光与几种新型氧化物材料相互作用研究现状,应用和将来可能的发展方向,这些新型氧化物包括高温氧化物超导体,巨磁电阻材料和铁电体,介绍了光激发状态下氧化物的输运特性,电磁特性的变化规律,报道了近年来主要的实验方法和研究结果,总结了光与氧化物相互作用时有关光响应和光激发的可能机制,讨论了现有实验结果的潜在应用,指出了将来在材料工程,光电器件,信息技术等方面应用的研究方向。     

Quantum kinetic theory of polyatomic gases

A review is given of the kinetic theory of polyatomic gases as based on the quantum mechanical Waldmann-Snider kinetic equation. The transport properties in the Navier-Stokes and Burnett regimes and their dependence on external electric and magnetic fields (Senftleben and Senftleben-Beenakker effects) as well as flow and heat-flow birefringence are discussed for gases consisting of linear, spherical top and symmetric top molecules. The relaxation phenomena associated with sound propagation, Rayleigh-Brillouin, depolarized Rayleigh and Raman light scattering are considered in some detail as well as nuclear magnetic and electron spin relaxation and pressure broadening of microwave spectral lines. Finally an overview is given of the quantum mechanical methods for the quantitative calculation of all these phenomena from the nonspherical intermolecular potential.     

Transverse oscillations for tissue motion estimation

This paper gives an overview of the methods developed for tissue motion estimation using transverse oscillation images (TO). TO images are specific radiofrequency ultrasound images featuring oscillations in both spatial directions. The initial studies on TO were published in the late 1990s. This paper reviews the main ideas and applications behind this motion estimation approach. First the origin and motivation of TO is briefly reviewed. Then the beamforming methods that lead to TO images are given, detailing the receive-only approach and the transmit-and-receive approach using synthetic aperture data. The different medical applications where TO has been used are discussed (blood flow, elastography and echocardiography), showing how it can improve motion estimation. Finally, the future perspectives of TO are outlined.     

The Use of Continuous Regularization in the Automated Analysis of MRS Time-Domain Data

In this paper, it is shown how the advantages of continuous regularization (CR) can be exploited to achieve an improved, fully automated LPSVD analysis of MRS time-domain data. The main advantage of CR is its ability to determine the number of spectral components even at low signal-to-noise ratios, which suggested its use forin vivospectroscopy. Estimation of the spectral parameters is possible. Two alternatives of automated data-analysis schemes are thoroughly investigated by means of Monte Carlo studies. The results suggest the combination of CR for model-order estimation with other methods for more-accurate parameter estimation. Several possible combinations, including those with an improved enhancement procedure and a total-least-squares method for quantitation, are discussed. Recommendations are given for spectral analysis, and a new data-analysis protocol which performs significantly better than previously used protocols of the same type is proposed.